Hawaiian Mythology (Annotated Pacific Islands mythology secret): A critical study of Hawaiian cultures, legends, gods and goddesses including Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and other Pacific Islanders

--Mankind Quarterly. Invaluable for all those whose interest lies with the myths, legends, traditions, and folktales of the Hawaiian peoples a classic of Hawaiian ethnography and folklore

One of the classic academic works. A classic and authoritative work on Hawaiian myths. The book takes a very academic approach to an area which unfortunately has drifted into a causual, "fairytale" genre. Ms. Beckwith was a professional, writing on her home ground. If you are interested in the origins of Hawaiian mythology, this is a key text.. "A Superb Review of Hawaiian Myths" according to Neodoering. This very thorough and deep exploration of the myths of Hawaii covers a lot of ground and presents dozens of myths and legends in easily accessible, down-to-earth language. Read about the shark god, the volcano goddess, and the poison gods of the trees, and come to understand how the native Hawaiians see (or maybe it's "used to see") their world. There are myths about the underworld and clever heroes who are able to go there and return again, and there are stories about the chiefs and kings and priests of the Hawaiian islands. These stories should put a smile on your face as they feed heart and mind . Leslie said Five Stars. Just as advertised.

This is Martha Beckwith's monumental study of Hawaiian mythology. This is primarily a critical edition of the key Hawaiian myths, and Beckwith largely does not attempt to interpret the texts, rather to examine both variant narratives and core folklore motifs. She gives all available variants of each myth or legend, including versions from other Pacific islands including Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and others. She also covers such topics as Kahunas (sorcerors) and Menehunes (fairies).. Beckwith utilized numerous texts which are today rare or hard to obtain to construct this study. The book covers every significant theme in Hawaiian mythology, from the origin myths of the Hawaiian gods and goddesses, to more recent legends of star-crossed lovers